Toy pistols



1959 F. s. TORNABENE 2,869,873

TOY PISTOLS Filed Feb. 17, 1958 I 2 a z f a V Ari INVENTOR:

Mil/WW MW United States Patent '0 TOY PISTOLS Frank S. Tornabene,Douglaston, N. Y. Application February 17, 1958, Serial No. 715,642

7 Claims. (Cl. 2731) My invention relates to toy pistols and its generalobject is to time the draw or to measure the time interval between liftof a pistol from its holster and the pull of its trigger. Other objectsare to incorporate a timing device in the pistol, to start operation ofthis device by the lift of the pistol, to stop this device by the pullof the trigger, and to provide the pistol with an indicator which isvisible from the pistols outside and shows difierent positions fordifierent times of this devices operation.

Further objects are to operate the timing device by a spring, to retardthe efifect of the spring, thereby to improve the facility to indicatethe time of the timing devices operation, and to adjust the degree ofretarding.

Still other objects are to attain these results with reliable, simpleand inexpensive means, with meansthat can be incorporated in a pistol ofabout conventional shape, and with a structure that can be easily madeand assembled.

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the followingdescription of an exemplifying embodiment of my invention, from theappended claims and from the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a partly sectional side view of an illustrative embodimentof my invention, the pistol being inserted in a holster.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of the pistol without holster, seen from theright sight in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of the pistol taken along line 3-3 in Fig.l.

Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of the pistol taken along line 44 in Fig.1, and represented on a larger scale than Figs. 1 to 3.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 1 indicates the main body of a pistolcomprising a handle 2 and a barrel 5.

A cock 6 and a trigger 7 project from the body 1 and are connected inknown manner by a snap mechanism concealed in the body whereby cockingof the cock 6 makes the trigger move to the shown position, and pull ofthe trigger toward the handle 2 makes the cock jump toward the barrel 5.I

The body 1 has a part 8 having a location and outer v shape similar tothe magazine of a revolver or repeater pistol. The part 8 is hollow andmay be closed at the lower side (in Figs. 1 and 4) by a firmly aifixedcover 9.

A member 11 is movable in the interior of the part 8 and is guided, forexample, in the following manner: The member 11 has a cylindrical innerspace in which a piston 12 is positioned. This piston fits the interiorof the member 11 slidably whereby the member can slide along the piston.The piston is stationarily affixed to the body 1 by a cylindrical rod 13which passes through bores in the ends of cylinder 11. The piston may beaffixed to the rod .13 in any suitable manner, for example by a pin 14.The rod 13 is preferably screwed into the body 1 at 15. The outerportions of the cylinder bores may form stufling boxes 16 and 17 for apurpose which will appear later. Thestufling box 16 of the insertedpistol body 1 causes the same to drop into the shown position in whichthe member 11 or its screw 19 prevents further drop, this member beingheld in the shown position by the rod 18 engaging the member and restingon the button 22.

With the beginning of the draw of the pistol, the

same is lifted from the holster whereby the upholding action of the rod18 is released and the member is free to move from the shown position,pushing the rod 18 farther outward. A spring 23 is provided for urgingthe member 11 to move in this direction from the shown position. Thespring 23 may be coiled about the member 11, has one end resting in anangular recess 24 of the body 1 and has another end pressing against ashoulder 25 of the member 11.

When the member 11 moves from the shown position toward the cover 9, itsmovement is preferably retarded by suitable means. For example, ahydraulic brake is incorporated in the member in the following manner:

The cylindrical inner space of the member 11, tightly closed by thestuffing boxes 16 and 17, is filled with oil or any other suitableliquid whereby movement of the member requires passage of liquid. fromthe space at one side of the piston 12 to the other side of this piston.Two channels 26 and 27 are provided which connect these two oppositepiston sides or spaces. The channel 26 passes through the piston 12 andsurrounds the rod 13. This channel is relatively wide and provided witha valve 28 which is so arranged that it opens and allows free passage ofoil from the piston side which is lower in the drawing to the upperpiston side, whereby the movement of the member 11 is not braked whenthe member moves to the shown position. In order to form the channel 26,the piston 12 is shaped like a pot with a wide bottom opening and anopen top and is connected with the rod 13 by a wheel-shaped plate 29,the rim of which is screwed into the pot top, and the hub of which isafiixed to the rod 13 by the pin 14. When the member moves from theshown position, the valve 28 closes the channel 26. The channel 27 isrelatively narrow and permanently open. This channel may be formed by acylindrical bore extending axially in the rod 13 and being .connectedwith the cylinder" space by two lateral bores 30 positioned at oppositesides of the piston 12. a

The channel 27 can be narrowed further in adjustable manner by suitablemeans. For example, the axial bore of the rod 13 extends to the lattersfree end and is partly filled by a slidably fitting rod 31 which can bemoved into the rod 13 as far as necessary to close one of the lateralbores 30 partially. By moving the rod 31 more or less far into the rod13, the passage through Patented Jan. 20,1959

the rod 13" forms the movable member. Such reve'rsal would require onlyobvious adaptations, for eX- ample, connection of the movable rodinstead of the cylinder with the rod 18 and with the later describedrack- 41 and pointer 42.

Means are provided to arrest the member 11 and are preferablyconstructed in the following manner: A lever 34 is hinged to walls 35forming projections of the body 1 One arm of this lever has a pointedend 36 reaching into a slot 37 of the wall of the body part 8. The otherlever arm is connected with the trigger 7 by a spring 38 and a rod 39 insuch a manner that the pointed end moves inward when the trigger ispulled. When the pointed end 36 moves inward, it engages a rack orelongated toothed surface 41 extending on the outside of the member 11in the vicinity of the pointed end 3 6 whereby the member is arrestedwhen the trigger is pulled. Thereby the length of the members movementfrom the shown position-depends on the time interval between lift of thepistol and pull of the trigger.

The length of the members movement constitutes a comparative measure forthe time of the draw. An indicator making this length or measure visibleis provided and may comprise a pointer 42 movable along a scale 43marked on the outer surface of the body 1. A slot 44 extends from thissurface inward. A stem 45 forming a bent extension of the pointer 42passes through this slot and has an end firmly secured in a bore of themember 11. When this member moves, the stem 45 slides along the slot 44,and the pointer 4.2 along the scale 43. The pointer 42 may be positionedbetween two protective ledges 46 forming projections of the body 1.

The quicker the draw, the less the pointer moves up the scale whereby apistol-drawing competition between players can be decided. If it shouldbe desired to determine the drawing time in seconds or fractions ofseconds, thescale may be'gauged, for example, by comparison with a stopwatch.

The pull of the trigger 7 has caused the cock 6 to snap toward thebarrel 5. When the indication of the pointer has been read, the pistolmay be cocked again whereby the trigger returns to the original positionshown, and the lever 34 releases the rack 41. Insertion of the pistol inthe holster 21 brings the outer end of the rod 18 in contact with thebutton 22. The weight of the pistol overcomes the pressure of the spring23 whereby the body 1 drops deeper than the rod 18 until the screw 19contacts the body 1.

The entire toy is now in the original, shown condition again and readyfor new action.

I desire it understood that my invention is not confined to theparticular method and embodiment shown and described, the same beingmerely illustrative, and that my invention may be carried out in otherways within the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of my invention as it is obvious that the particular method andembodiment shown and described are only examples of the many that may beemployed to attain the objects of my invention.

Having described the nature of my invention, what I claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A pistol toy comprising a holster, a pistol body insertable in saidholster, a pullable trigger projecting from said body, a member guidedin said body from and to a definite position, a spring urging saidmember to move from said position, releasable means moving said memberagainst the urge of said spring to said position, the operation-of saidmeans being derived from the insertion of said body in said holster andthe release of said means being derived from the lifting of said bodyfrom said holster, releasable means arresting said member, the operationof said latter means being derived from the pull of said trigger wherebythe length of said members inovement depends on the time between liftofsaid body 4. and pull of said trigger, and an indicator moved by saidmember.

2. A pistol toy comprising a holster, a pistol body insertable in saidholster, a pullable trigger projecting from said body, a member guidedin said body from and to a definite position, a spring urging saidmember to move from said position, a rod engaging said member andmovably passing through an opening of said body in a direction in whichoutward movement of said rod is stopped by said holster when said bodyis inserted, said rod, when stopped by said holster, holding said bodyin said position, releasable means arresting said member, the operationof said latter means being derived from the pull of said trigger wherebythe length of said members movement depends on the time between lift ofsaid body and pull of said trigger, and an indicator moved by saidmember.

3. A pistol toy comprising a holster, a pistol body insertable in saidholster, a pullable trigger projecting from said body, a member guidedin said body from and to a definite position, a spring urging saidmember to move from said position, releasable means moving said memberagainst the urge of said spring to said position, the operation of saidmeans being derived from the insertion of said body in said holster andthe release of said means being derived from the lifting of said bodyfrom said holster, means retarding said member when it moves from saidposition, releasable means arresting said member, the operation of saidlatter means being derived from the pull of said trigger whereby thelength of said members movement depends on the time between lift of saidbody and pull of said trigger, and an indicator moved by said member.

4.'A pistol toy comprising a holster, a pistol body insertable in saidholster, a pullable trigger projecting from said body, a member guidedin said body from and to a definite position, a spring urging saidmember to move from said position, releasable means moving said memberagainst the urge of said spring to said position, the operation of saidmeans being derived from the insertion of said body in said holster andthe release of said means being derived from the lifting of said bodyfrom said holster, adjustable means retarding said member when it movesfrom said position, releasable means arresting said member, theoperation of said latter means being derived from the pull of saidtrigger whereby the length of said members movement depends on the timebetween lift of said body and pull of said trigger, and an indicatormoved by said member.

5. A pistol toy comprising a holster, a pistol body insertable in saidholster, a pullable trigger projecting from said body, a member guidedin said body from and to a definite position, a spring urging saidmember to move from said position, releasable means moving said memberagainst the urge of said spring to said position, the operation of saidmeans being derived from the insertion of said body in said holster andthe release of said means being derived from the lifting of said bodyfrom said holster, a hydraulic brake retarding said member when saidmember moves from said position, releasable means arresting said member,the operation of said latter means being derived from the pull of saidtrigger whereby the length of said members movement depends on the timebetween lift of said body and pull of said trigger, and an indicatormoved by said member.

6. A pistol toy comprising a holster, a pistol body insortable in saidholster, a pullable trigger projecting from said body, a member guidedin said body from and to a definite position, a spring urging saidmember to come from said position, releasable means moving said memberagainst the urge of said spring to said position, the operation of saidmeans being derived from the insertion of said body in said holster andthe release of said means being derived from the lifting of said bodyfrom said holster, a; leverhinged' to said body, having an arm connectedwith said trigger and having an arm having a pointed end, said memberhaving an elongated toothed surface extending in the vicinity of saidpointed end, said pointed end engaging said toothed surface and therebyarresting said member when said trigger is pulled whereby the length ofsaid members movement depends on the time between lift of said body andpull of said trigger, and an indicator moved by said member.

7. A pistol toy comprising a holster, a pistol body insertable in saidholster, a pullable trigger projecting from said body, a member guidedin said body from and to a definite position, a spring urging saidmember to move from said position, releasable means moving said memberagainst the urge of said spring to said position, the operation of saidmeans being derived from the insertion of said body in said holster andthe release of said means being derived from the lifting of said bodyfrom said holster, releasable means arresting said member, the operationof said latter means being derived from the pull of said trigger wherebythe length of said member's movement depends on the time between lift ofsaid body and pull of said trigger, a scale marked on the outside ofsaid body, a pointer movable along said scale, and a stern passingthrough a slot of said body and connecting said pointer with saidmember.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,357,629 Epstein May 10, 1932 2,404,653 Plebanek July 23, 19462,710,754 Varney June 14, 1955 2,834,597 Ylinen May 13, 1958

